After climbing the tree as fast as he could, Bai Luochuan gauged the thickness of the branch. Then, without hesitation, he reached out, grabbed it with one hand, and swung himself forward.
As he swung past, he plucked the sign hanging from the tip of the branch with his other hand.
Then he released his grip on the branch.
He landed steadily.
His movements were as smooth as flowing water.
Watching him, Qi Yu did not know whether to feel helpless or applaud.
All he could do was stare at Bai Luochuan.
After a long moment, he forced a smile and said, "You're amazing, bro."
Bai Luochuan said nothing.
He patted Qi Yu's shoulder and placed the sign marked "chicken thigh meat" in his hand.
Then he turned and headed deeper into the woods.
He was telling Qi Yu through his actions that all he needed to do for this activity was follow him.
He would make sure he ate his fill.
[Let me cover my ass first: I'm really not a fan of Bai Luochuan's looks. But speaking as a passerby, don't you think... he's actually kind of hot?]
[Hot, my ass! Raise your standards! Stop calling every Mālo you see hot!]
[That's some forced hate from the person above! Even an ugly guy could look hot pulling that off, never mind Bai Luochuan, who's genuinely gorgeous!]
[Here come the actual face fans. I can't.]
[Does Qi Yu actually like Bai Luochuan? Look at him. He practically wants to be glued to the guy every second.]
[It's probably for the show. He's not the real Qi Yu, after all. Isn't this how he has to grab attention?]
[All he has to do is stay aloof and talk less to keep Qi Yu in character. This cosplayer's pretty impressive, coming up with such an outlandish way to break immersion.]
[Why does he keep calling Bai Luochuan "bro"? Isn't Qi Yu twenty-eight? Bai Luochuan's only in his early twenties, right? No way is he older than him.]
[They're just two clowns. Why do you care so much? In a hurry to open a circus?]
The comment feed was full of arguing.
But Bai Luochuan had not really given it much thought.
As far as he was concerned, Qi Yu called him "bro" simply to stay in character.
After all, that was what he called him in the game.
As for this activity? If the real Qi Yu were here, there probably would not be much that required effort from him.
But this was only an actor.
A pampered man who could neither carry anything in his hands nor shoulder a load.
Climbing trees, wading into the water, and the like were all too difficult for him.
Luckily, Bai Luochuan was used to it and did not mind.
So, over the time that followed, Qi Yu could only watch Bai Luochuan scramble up and down.
Not only did he take down all the signs from the treetops.
He even retrieved all the signs in the middle of the river by himself along the way-the kind they were normally supposed to reach together, supporting each other.
Bai Luochuan refused Qi Yu's help.
He told him to just hold the signs and watch.
Downstream by the riverbank, Lan Muxing crouched on the ground, hugging Yan Cheng's legs to steady him as he reached for the sign in the water.
But before he could retrieve it, a great spray of water splashed up in the distance.
It flew toward them.
His makeup smeared, and Lan Muxing cried out in fright, letting go on the spot.
Yan Cheng fell into the water.
An even bigger splash flew up.
He struggled to his feet and saw Bai Luochuan standing in the river upstream, having just picked up a sign.
Yan Cheng: ...?
A huge question mark slowly formed in his mind.
Yan Cheng gritted his teeth. "Bai Luochuan, what are you doing!?"
"Picking up signs," Bai Luochuan answered bluntly.
He did not really understand why Yan Cheng was sitting in the water, either.
He simply looked at the other person, then at the sign beside Yan Cheng.
Understanding dawned on Bai Luochuan, and he reassured him, "Don't be nervous. The water's shallow. It doesn't even come up past your calves. Just jump in and grab it. You won't drown."
Yan Cheng: ...
He could see that.
After all, Bai Luochuan had rolled his pants up to his thighs, and they did not look wet at all.
But that was not how you were supposed to do activities on this show, was it!?
Did he even know what a dating show was!?
A two-person activity!
It was all about the atmosphere!
Who was playing wilderness survival with him!?
Anger welled up inside him, but saying anything would only make him seem precious.
Yan Cheng could only swallow his anger.
He got up and walked out of the river with his head lowered.
He did not want to admit that when he had suddenly looked up and seen Bai Luochuan smiling in the water with a sign in his hand, that ray of sunshine had been so dazzling that it left him dazed for an instant.
He had never realized before that Bai Luochuan was this good-looking.
No.
Good-looking, his ass!
At the end of the day, everything he was doing now was just grandstanding to attract his attention.
It was not as though this was the first time he had done something like this.
What a joke.
Who would keep looking back at a clown?
By the time he returned to shore, Lan Muxing had wiped the water off his face.
His eyes full of affection, he asked with concern, "Yan Cheng, how are you? You're not hurt, are you?"
Yan Cheng shook his head.
Lan Muxing continued, "I'm sorry. Everything happened so suddenly just now. I got scared, so..."
As he spoke, his voice even choked up a little.
Yan Cheng was immediately moved.
He reached out and pulled him into his arms, gently patting Lan Muxing's back. He lowered his voice, making it sound deep and resonant.
He said, "It wasn't your fault. This..."
He wanted to say it was Bai Luochuan's fault.
But when he looked up, he discovered that Bai Luochuan had already put his shoes on with a grin and run off in the other direction.
All his words instantly stuck in his mouth.
His chest felt uncomfortably tight.
It was as though the ray of sunshine that had just shone on him had suddenly abandoned him and gone far away.
Cold and damp.
The sensation only made him feel sick.
[Bai Luochuan is seriously deranged! Is he some born Mālo? First up a tree, then into the river. All he does is act up!]
[Is it his fault he has to climb trees and get into the river? Didn't the production team arrange that?]
[Yan Cheng fans, stop forcing the hate. Seeing so much of it is making me want to become a Bai Luochuan fan!]
[Exactly. What's your precious boy being so fussy about? Just get in the water. It's that shallow. He won't drown.]
[What the hell do you know? That's a little couple's game of love! That's our Chengxing CP's own happiness! Better than your Mālo and his trainer!]
[Who told you it's a Mālo and his trainer? Qi Yu is the Mālo's little sidekick, okay?]
[Honestly, whatever Bai Luochuan does, Qi Yu watches him with such a doting smile. I don't care what you think about this ship. I'm shipping it!]
[The Yu-Chuan ship is so sweet!]
[Be bolder, guys! Bai Luochuan's a Beta. Who says he has to be the bottom!?]
[Exactly! Maybe the guy playing Qi Yu is a Beta too! So listen to me! Chuan-Yu is the true way! Brother Bai, go! Alpha him to death!]
(Aside: It's Yu-Chuan! Don't get the positions wrong, babies QAQ!)
Before you continue